Menu

Tag Archives: family time

When I wrote Great Cape o’ Colors, I didn’t plan on it being about careers—I just wanted a Spanish-English picture book to teach colors to language learners. I came up with different costumes that include capes (costumes kids might try at home). I knew the book would have a pronunciation guide and diverse characters (something I try to have in all of my books). But after getting the artwork back from the illustrator, I realized this was also a book about jobs for kids—and it fit nicely with three other books I’d written on careers.

As a former Silicon Valley recruiter, I’ve noticed that many high school (even college) graduates aren’t prepared to work their way up to a desired position (or run their own business or manage money). I wanted to share ideas that spark imaginations to discover gratifying activities that can become marketable skills. I especially wanted kids to learn that our best ideas and skills are born while solving problems and helping others.

I learned Spanish while serving the people of Chile for two years as a volunteer. Being bilingual has enriched my work. Over the past couple of decades I’ve taught English as a second language; I believe that serving immigrant ESL students helped me qualify to teach college, which I’ve done for nearly four years. I regularly speak on writing and marketing in schools as well as to private and government organizations. That networking has opened all kinds of doors for me to other professionals and clients.

“This is a magic cape!” begins Great Cape o’ Colors. It certainly has been for me. I feel like one of the superheroes inside (even without a cape). John Collado’s illustrations are wonderful. I’m especially grateful to my native language editors (who make me look good), Gema Ortiz de Gurrola and Diana Sanzana.

I have the warmest memories of Christmas at my grandparent’s home in San Jose, California (if you’re LDS, imagine Christmas in the temple—with lots of goodies!). My Grandfather would gather us and read the Christmas story in Luke 2. We would sing, play games, and exchange gifts. My favorite treat was the rocky road candy my grandmother made with marshmallows and nuts covered in chocolate.

I’m privileged to be among several multicultural book authors and bloggers. I’ve also been blessed to work with illustrators from around the world, from Israel to Spain to the USA (and co-author a book with a Canadian author). We are changing the world. I plan to post links to multicultural blogs and sites as we approach Multicultural Children’s Book Day in January 2018—send me your links!

Along with presenting on writing and publishing and participating in library author panels from American Fork to Brigham City, I’ve been the subject of several interviews and blog posts. Three of my Spanish/bilingual titles have been chosen as “permanent selections” in Amazon’s “MesIndie.”

I’ve also had the dubious distinction of having my work pirated—possibly more times and in more places than ever before.

DOES THIS MEAN I’VE ARRIVED? Not on your life!

What do I need?

REVIEWS – Some people think there’s an expiration date on a review request. To be very clear: a review is welcome ANY TIME!! Reviews increase sales. I’ll give you the ebook of your choice if you commit to a sincere comment online (YES, this IS Kosher with Amazon, as long as you’re not my mom/brother or paid).

POST, share,tweet, and pin my books (I’d be thrilled to share any cover with you). If you don’t consider me too geeky–follow me. I’d also be more than happy to PRESENT to your club, school group, library, or organization.

The only dog I ever had was Muffy. We got her from a neighbor when I was seven—though we didn’t have high hopes of keeping her (my dad had dispatched with a cat we’d had). But we four kids pleaded so earnestly that we wore him down.

Muff was a mutt—part Maltese and part ?? But she was instantly a special part of the family. My brother Nels trained her (using cheese) to sit, shake, roll over, and eventually to close the front door. She hated getting bathed—but was at her most playful immediately afterward.

In 1977, while my mother was on a trip to Scotland and my father on business in Alaska, we three younger kids were farmed out to stay with family. Nels held the fort at home in California. One day, he came home to find Muffy licking a wound in her side. It didn’t look too bad, but he decided to take her to the vet.

It was actually a deep puncture, most likely a bite from a big dog. Muffy had to have it stitched up with drainage tubes placed to help the healing. We came home to Frankenpup. It was a shock.

I don’t recall Muffy ever liking other dogs but, certainly after this trauma, she went ballistic whenever she caught sight of any dog. It was sometimes easier to just take her barking self back inside the house. This is why what happened next in her life is so miraculous.

One day, my brother Chris and I were out playing when we came across a large German shepherd that had been hit by a car. It was lying in blood. We ran home and told my mom. Always a compassionate woman, she got us in our station wagon and had us show her where the dog was. With no fear of what an injured animal might do to her, she and some onlookers picked up the shepherd and put him in the vehicle.

II.

Without consulting my father, Mom authorized the vet to operate on an unknown dog we weren’t even sure would live. It was an expensive operation. And that was just the beginning of concerns. After the surgery and a day’s rest, the vet wanted the German shepherd off his hands. Where would we take him? —certainly not home to Muffy, our fiend in sheep’s clothing.

We decided to put “Valor,” our name for the injured dog, in a room by himself and keep the door closed. Valor crawled under a desk and collapsed. That was his spot from then on.

The first surprise was that Muffy didn’t bark when we carried this big strange dog into the house (we may have put her in a bedroom at the time). It seemed she could sense or smell the injury. We decided to see how she would respond to Valor. Holding Muff very tightly, we opened the door to Valor’s den.

Still no barking. Muffy sniffed—and pulled with all her strength to get closer to this imposing beast. She seemed to especially note that the dog’s injury (and stitches) were in the very place where she had been hurt. After examining the wound, she immediately curled up and nestled herself against Valor—who seemed quite at home with her there.

The last thing we had expected was to leave the room without our own dog. We got busy (at my dad’s insistence) looking for Valor’s owner. We canvassed the neighborhoods around us, but no one we asked had lost a dog.

III.

Each day Valor got a little stronger. Determined to show he had been raised properly; he wouldn’t empty his bladder on newspapers, but walked out his sliding glass door—painfully—each day to do relieve himself.

Muffy accompanied him like a bodyguard and heaped fury on the poor Husky next door for daring to poke her nose through the fence. Yet with her charge, Muff was a tender companion.

I can’t remember whether we put an ad in the newspaper or my mom saw an ad. I only remember my mom spoke with someone on the phone who had lost two dogs. “Would you like to come see if this dog is yours?” she asked.

Like a true drama, the story gets weird here. The person my mom spoke with on the phone wasn’t the owner of the two lost dogs—but he was surely in the doghouse! His sister had moved and asked him to watch her two dogs in the process. They both promptly escaped him—likely looking for a home that was no longer “home.”

While the brother clearly cared about his sister’s two dogs, he had only found one of the escapees. Many days passed with no sign of the other.

We answered the door and ushered our guest to the den. Standing in the doorway, the man wasn’t sure; the light wasn’t very good under the desk and, with stitches, Valor’s appearance was altered.

But Valor’s tail was all over the place. The man knelt down. Valor struggled to his feet and over to our visitor, licking the tears that were falling from his eyes. It was a special moment—especially for my dad, who was finally reimbursed for the surgery.

Valor was soon home with his longtime friend—a little white dog named Fluffy—really!!

Mom never doubted how the story would turn out (at least she never showed doubt). Our Muffy was not a changed canine; she continued to freak out whenever any other dog appeared. But her time with Valor was noble and sweet and miraculous. I still miss her.

I answered some interview questions for a blogger and thought it would be fun to share a little about my publishing experience here, how my latest title came to be, and when/where people can ask me questions in person. Enjoy!

What genre is your newest book? Juvenile business (The Bridge of the Golden Wood—free this month on Kindle, #1 in 3 Amazon categories, with 5,000+ downloads), I hope it helps bridge the gap between what kids learn in school and what they need to know/do to succeed in life.What draws you to this genre? Seeing a lack of kids’ curriculum on how money is made—how to earn a living. I used to be a recruiter in Silicon Valley; today’s graduates don’t seem as prepared for work as their parents. Many young people don’t know that failure is normal and can nourish future success.Please describe what the story is about in one sentence. A child with a knack for solving problems learns that helping some hungry fish—who can’t pay him—facilitates his finding a treasure.What was the time frame for writing your last book? A few days (illustration is the real work—and I had to do some on this book.)How much research do you do? More for this book than a typical picture book; I had to present valuable tips and business ideas I’ve learned over the years.Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day? No (but I spend hours on books/marketing every day)What is the easiest thing about writing? Ideas that ambush meWhen did you decide that you wanted to be a writer? In college … when I should have been doing my homeworkWhat are your thoughts on good/bad reviews? Every review can be helpful (even bad ones contribute to visibility—and they offer great feedback)Which do you prefer: Pen or Computer? And how do you stay organized (any methods, tools you use)? I usually write ideas on scraps of paper in odd moments/places, then I write out the story on my laptop.How do you relax? Volleyball, music, films, booksWhat were your biggest learning experience(s) or surprise(s) throughout the publishing process? When my first publisher died; I had to learn the publishing business.What would you have done differently if you could do it again? I would have sought more reviews for my early titles.Something personal about you people may be surprised to know? No matter how many achievements I have, I struggle with self-doubt, fears, and (at the same time) self-absorption.What’s next? What are you working on at the moment? Non-fiction stories about immigrant kids and more bilingual booksDo you re-read books? One book that you would read again & again? The scripturesYour influence(s), favorite author(s)? I love history, so anything by David McCoullugh is ideal. Other authors I love: Tolkien, Harper Lee, C.S. Lewis, Clancy, Grisham, Shel SilversteinWhat book(s) are you reading at present?Major Problems in American Colonial History by Karen KuppermanBest piece(s) of writing advice we haven’t discussed? Write every day and join a writer’s group

See a trailer forThe Bridge of the Golden Wood. For business and career ideas, see ChildrenEarn.com. I’ll be contrasting traditional publishing vs. digital/self-publishing at the Kearns Library in Salt Lake County on June 29 at 7 p.m., 5350 S. 4220 West, Kearns, UT 84118. Hope to see you!

Adults get business and money-making tips too

Doing things for free may not sound like a great recipe for earning; but a new picture book by a former Silicon Valley recruiter shows how providing free service can build skills, ideas and a reputation — all of which can bring income.

“Some people graduate from high school or college and expect to be paid right out of the gate,” said author Karl Beckstrand. “Most employers want experience,” he said. “Seeing problems and providing solutions — even without pay — can give job seekers the edge.”

“The Bridge of the Golden Wood: A Parable on How to Earn a Living” (for ages 5 and up) came to Beckstrand after he had visited many schools, observing almost no curriculum on earning money.

Beckstrand’s 18th book (number one in three Amazon categories) shows how achild with an eye for solving problems helps some hungry fish and finds a treasure. This illustrated Asian folk tale comes with ideas for businesses, finding customers and managing finances.

“I hope it helps bridge the gap,” Beckstrand said, “between what kids aren’t being taught and what they need to know in order to make a living. Money shouldn’t mystify.”

Beckstrand, winner of a 2016 International Book Award, says that earners start young — with no expectation of reward. “Doing something for nothing not only helps you feel good,” he said, “it gives you experience, a good reputation and, sometimes, money-making ideas.”

“Many children and adults lack confidence that only comes through experience,” said Beckstrand. “We get experience by finding and filling needs, solving problems.”

While he wanted to be a rock star, Beckstrand’s first job out of college was as a technical recruiter in Silicon Valley. “I got that job because I had worked some summers and semesters as a human resources assistant.”

Some of the people Beckstrand recruited had great ability and egos, some had no ability and great egos, but some had an idea of what they didn’t know,” he said. “The latter group had the best chances because they wanted to learn how to bring value.”

Beckstrand worked in high tech, sales and public policy before publishing his first book. “I did get to sing professionally,” he said, “even if our band was basically a wedding band. The point is, by trying lots of things I learned what I like and developed skills that help in any industry.”

“Maybe you don’t get that Fortune 500 job,” Beckstrand said, “maybe, while you’re serving someone in need, you get an idea the turns into the next Uber or Amazon, only it’s your company.”

After a couple of books through other publishers, Beckstrand now runs Premio Publishing in Midvale, Utah. They specialize in multicultural mysteries, biographies and language books for families. “They’re not about race or ethnicity,” said Beckstrand. “They simply happen to have characters of color.” They have received awards and raves from national publications like School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Horn Book’s blog and ForeWord Reviews.

Even after getting a master’s degree, Beckstrand noted that none of his courses taught earning or managing money. He says his most valuable education has come from running a business and living abroad. He has included tips he has learned in “The Bridge of the Golden Wood,” written in dyslexic-friendly font and available in hard cover (pre-order), soft cover and ebook (free thru July 23 on Kindle) via major distributors and PremioBooks.com.

Beckstrand will contrast traditional with digital or self-publishing on Thursday, June 29 at 7 p.m. at the Kearns Library, 5350 S. 4220 West in Salt Lake City.

Almost ten years ago, I was getting ready for my wedding (which I, ultimately, didn’t attend). A publisher approached me about writing a non-fiction story about an immigrant child. I told them I had such a story in my family history. Former LDS Relief Society General President Bonnie Parkin had, in a General Conference talk, told the story of my Great-great Aunt Anna, who immigrated from Sweden as a child—without her parents. I had more details in my Great Grandmother Ida’s journal.

I contacted Sister Parkin and asked if we could collaborate. While she had other priorities on her plate, she sent me copies of Anna Matilda Anderson’s journal (Anna is her husband’s grandmother) and told me I could use it as I pleased.

It was fun to compare my great grandmother’s perspective to her sister’s. Each had her own miraculous experience in her youth, which bolstered their new-found faith. Each had frightening experiences traveling without parents—separating mid-journey to live in different states.

BYU illustration graduate Shari Griffiths was asked to illustrate the story once it was complete. While Shari and I each got painful educations in the publishing process, she did an outstanding job on the art.

The result was Anna’s Prayer, the true story of 10-year-old Anna, who arrived alone in Salt Lake City—not knowing anyone and unable to speak English. Alone in the train station in the middle of the night she prayed for someone who could speak Swedish to come to her aid. The answer to her prayer went beyond what she could have hoped.

The book was well received and sold out in some local Costco stores. After a few years, publishing rights to Anna’s Prayer reverted to me and illustration rights to Shari (who now has several active children—and no desire to illustrate). This year, I purchased rights to the artwork and, finally, have re-released Anna’s Prayer in more affordable, paperback and ebook versions. I’m now working on my great grandmother’s story—as a prequel to Anna’s. I’m so excited to tell this—also true—story to the world! Here are some links to Anna’s Prayer: http://gozobooks.com/annas-prayer.phphttp://tinyurl.com/zgnb5ka

Cover contest winner “Butterfly Blink: A Book Without Words” is a new picture book fantasy that helps children (ages 2 – 6) cement vocabulary as they describe the monarch from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. Blink — and they multiply! Thee-book version is free this monthand includes habitat conservation information for all ages.

“Bright Star, Night Star: An Astronomy Story” (also a cover design winner) is a children’s book that accompanies an American Indian child in finding constellations, stars and other heavenly bodies. It exposes children (4 – 8) to the starry skies, Monument Valley, and a little space science. It is available in hard or soft cover — or as an e-book.

“She Doesn’t Want the Worms – Ella no quiere los gusanos: A Mystery” was named in the top 10 best books of 2011 by “ForeWord Reviews Magazine.” It is an educational activity book about a bi-racial girl who responds to some unusual animal gifts — that happen to be alive — and includes full text and a pronunciation guide in both English and Spanish. Kids (3 and up) or language learners can find and count insects, reptiles, a cat, and a bat. Get in Spanish-only, English-only, or bilingual versions as an e-book or in paperback.

The best-selling author of these nature books, Karl Beckstrand, has 17 multicultural books and more than 45 e-book titles – all family friendly. Beckstrand finds that Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) books can entertain while they educate (STEAM books include the arts). Raised in San Jose, Calif., he will present on publishing entertaining literature Tues. Nov. 1 at 6:30 p.m. in the Weber County Library 2039 W. 4000 South, Roy, Utah and Sat. Nov. 5 from 1 – 4 p.m. at the Viridian Center 8030 S. 1825 West, West Jordan, Utah.

MIDVALE, Utah, March 25, 2016 – Award-winning author Karl Beckstrand is from San Jose, California. He has 16 multicultural books and more than 40 ebook titles — all of them educational — but kids would never know it from the mysteries, activities, and giggles. Here are three new ones.

“Butterfly Blink: A Book Without Words” is a picture book fantasy that helps children cement vocabulary as they describe the monarch from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. Blink — and they multiply. Blink — and they’re gone! (Stories Without Words series, Ages 2 – 6, 24-page, 8″x 10″, wordless picture book on habitat conservation, ISBN: 978-0692648599)